Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has approved a salary increase for medical doctors in the state civil service, aligning their pay with federal government standards. The adjustment takes effect from December 1, 2024.
Governor Zulum made the announcement on Wednesday during the 65th National Council on Health meeting held at Muhammadu Indimi Hall, University of Maiduguri. Themed “Accelerating Pathway to Universal Health Coverage Strategies for 2030,” the event brought together key stakeholders in Nigeria’s health sector.
Zulum directed the state’s Head of Service and the Commissioner for Health to work with federal agencies to eliminate salary disparities. “Ensure there is no disparity between salaries of federal government workers and those of the state government,” he emphasized.
The governor also highlighted Borno’s compliance with the Abuja Declaration, which mandates states allocate at least 15% of their budgets to healthcare. He cited investments in health infrastructure, maternal and child health services, and disease control programs.
In addition to the pay rise, Governor Zulum announced the release of over N400 million to support residency training for doctors. This includes N300 million for state hospital doctors and N100 million for Borno indigenes working in other health facilities nationwide.
The meeting featured remarks from Minister of Health Professor Mohammed Ali Pate, who reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to achieving Universal Health Coverage by 2030. He praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s focus on health sector revitalization, including training, infrastructure upgrades, and maternal health services.
Traditional rulers, senior health officials, commissioners from all 36 states, and development partners, including UN health agencies, also attended the event.
